In order to allow for easier connection to a personal computer (PC) of input/output devices, such as a mouse and a keyboard, a standard has been developed to replace the existing so-called Personal System 2 (PS2) standard for such devices. The new standard is called universal serial bus (USB), and its latest version (2.0) sets out how not only low speed devices such as a mouse or keyboard are to be connected, but also how high speed devices such as a digital camera or a scanner are to be connected. USB allows expandability of a PC's capabilities via an external port, eliminating the need for users or integrators to open the system chassis of the PC. USB supports multiple peripheral devices simultaneously, so it allows users to run numerous devices such as printers, scanners, digital cameras and speakers from a single PC. USB also provides for automatic device detection and installation (i.e. plug-and-play).
In providing a specification that would make connection of a device easier (via plug-and-play) and at the same time providing for a connection that is up to 100 times faster than the original serial port and supports multiple device connectivity, tradeoffs had to be made. One tradeoff is in the maximum allowed length of the connector used to connect a peripheral device to a computer; the cable for a USB peripheral device cannot be greater than 5 meters, although it is possible to connect to a computer up to thirty meters away using for example a series of so-called hub devices or driving the connection at a higher-than-designed-for voltage.
In some applications, it is advantageous to connect a peripheral device, such as a mouse or keyboard, to a computer over distances of up to 10,000 feet. It is not possible to make such a connection using a series of hubs (because USB hub hardware makes possible a connection of only up to thirty meters even using hubs), nor does the prior art generally teach how to make a USB connection over such long distances.
What is needed is a way of extending a connection from a USB peripheral device, or at least a low-speed USB peripheral device such as a mouse or a keyboard, to distances of up to 10,000 feet.